Lifeline ((Jughead Jones)) 1

5

I sat again next to Jughead in biology, laughing at the fact we had no idea what was going on. It wasn't either of our favourite subjects. The lesson had barely begun, when Sheriff Keller and Principal Weatherbee entered the classroom. The class were silent as we all looked up. Cheryl stood, as did I, knowing why they had come. Jughead touched my arm as I looked at my sister.

"You're here for us, aren't you?" I asked, surprising everyone that I spoke first instead of Cheryl. "Because of the autopsy?" I continued. We had been expecting this. In fact, after I got in from Pop's, Cheryl and I had been discussing this very moment. Although publicly, we didn't speak very often apart from occasional hugs, at home we were inseparable and told each other everything. She knew of my liking for Jughead and supported me, whilst I knew of her worry about not being good enough to fulfil Jason's role in the family as she was the next eldest.

"We don't need to do this in front of your classmates, Cheryl, Cynthia." Weatherbee stated.

"It's all right, Principal Weatherbee. They'll find out soon enough," Cheryl responded, putting her hands forward, "We're guilty."

As shocking as those two words were, they were nothing compared to the secrets that Jason's body had given up during its autopsy.

Both Cheryl and I were lead to the Principals office, knowing that rumours would already be circulating about what we were guilty of.

That Jason didn't die on July 4th, as we believed, but over a week later.

We were both seated, the blinds to the office being pulled down to cover the curious and eager faces of the students outside.

"To clarify, I didn't mean we were guilty of killing Jason. We loved him more than we do ourselves. But we are guilty of lying about what happened on July 4th." Cheryl said, in a calm way. At least we were finally going to come clean about what happened on that day. However, both of us knew that our parents wouldn't be understanding of the fact we lied. If it wasn't for us, maybe he would still be alive.

"The autopsy puts his death about July 11th. When was the last time you saw your brother?" Keller asked us.

"It was July 4th. We don't know what happened after that." I replied.

"Girls, in your own words, what happened at Sweetwater River?" I never understood why they said that. 'In your own words.' It never made sense. Whose words was I meant to use?

"The plan was bananas, even for me," Cheryl began, "Jason wanted to leave Riverdale and never come back. He asked for our help to stage a tragic accident, so our mom and dad wouldn't come after him. Our story would be we went for an early-morning boat ride and the boat tipped and capsized and Jason drowned, Cynthia would be found just a few metres from me but out of sight, on the other side of the river."

"In fact, we made it to the other side dry as bones," I continued, sharing a glance with my sister, "We said goodbye on the Greendale side of Sweetwater River. He promised he'd call as soon as he was in place where he couldn't be pulled back by our parents. One month at most."

"It wasn't until Cynthia wasn't in the place she said she'd be and was found unconscious the next day that I knew something was wrong."

"When Cheryl left in the boat, I started walking down to wear I would be found. I stepped into the water, knowing that I would have to be soaked for it to be believable. The moment I was ankle deep, I felt someone hit something over my head and push me into the river as I fell unconscious." The sheriff and principal looked shocked at our story so far. If they were shocked, then our parents would be more so.

"Every day since Cynthia was found, we waited for him to call, for an e-mail."

"You tell anyone about the plan? Any way you can corroborate it?" Keller asked. Maybe he had a tough time believing us, but for once, it was truth. We were admitting to our last moments with Jason, something we hadn't told anyone. It was a lot to get off our chest. It was something so secret our own parents didn't know. I shook my head in response. "You have no idea why your brother wanted to run away, fake his own death?" Keller persisted. Tears were forming in our eyes as we sat under the intense stare of Weatherbee and Keller. I longed for Jughead's security because I couldn't sit in that small office any longer. I felt my hands begin to shake. "Doesn't that seem cruel?" I knew how people viewed Jason.

"No, he wasn't." Cheryl insisted. I gripped my hands together, hoping that would stop them from shaking. Instead, it moved the shaking from my hands to my leg. It was as if I wasn't in control of my leg as it bounced up and down, my breathing slowly getting shorter as Keller looked at both of us. "Jason wasn't cruel!" Cheryl cried.

"So maybe this is all just a web of lies you're both spinning to cover your own tracks."

"We didn't kill Jason!" Cheryl cried, tears threatening to spill as she raised her voice. The walls were moving closer to me, guided by the stare of the sheriff. I leaned forward, head in my hands and they balled into fists full of hair. My eyes shut as I tried to drown out their words. The adult didn't know what was happening to me, mistaking it for guilt. Cheryl's words became soundless. Imagine being at a concert that was so loud in that moment, and then walking out and not hearing anything apart from a hum of noise, the only memory you could still hear.

I was so focused on not passing out, that I didn't notice our parents had come in the room. In fact, Cheryl had to force my arms up as she guided me out of school while our parents guided her.

Cheryl told our parents the story. The whole story. To say they were less than pleased was an understatement. We were sat on the couch, they were stood up and shouting at us. We were the reason that their only son was dead. Dad was the one who did the most lecturing, whereas our mother kept saying it was our fault. With every spoken criticism, my breathing got shorter. Maybe it was our fault. If we hadn't helped him and told our parents, then he would have stayed and would be alive.

"You were both irresponsible and didn't think about the repercussions of your actions. Now we all must live with your mistake."

"We didn't think JJ would be killed!" Cheryl said, crying hysterically. I put my hands over my ears, not wanting to hear their comments. I focused my eye on the rose embroidery on my skirt, fiddled with the white ruffles of my top.

"That's because you don't think! You are both immature and irresponsible and for that we pay the price!" Dad shouted back, horrified of being spoken to in that way. I stood up, hands shaking and chest tight. Ignoring my parents, I ran out of the house and down the driveway. I scaled the closed gate and jumped down the other side. Anytime I had escaped Thornhill, I had climbed the gate. By now, I was an expert and could do it with my eyes closed. Even in heels I sprinted into the town.